TWO MORE Liberal Democrat councillors have admitted being taken to court after failing to pay council tax on time.

Launceston South's Sasha Gillard-Loft and Liskeard North's Jan Powell admitted to the Cornish Guardian this week that they had not made the payments at certain points over the last two years.

The news has sparked criticism from the council's Conservative group and also the Tax Payers' Alliance, who said councillors should be setting an example to others.

Launceston councillor Alex Folkes admitted a week ago he had also failed to pay his council tax.

Both Miss Gillard-Loft and Mrs Powell said their reasons for non-payment were clear.

Miss Gillard-Loft said she had not gone public previously because she lived with a friend who owned the house, paying the bill was his responsibility and she felt his finances were a private matter.

"I shouldn't be listed on the council tax at all," she said.

"Cornwall Council made the assumption we're a couple, but I'm not in a relationship with him and never have been.

"When I moved in he rightly declared this, as he'd previously received the single- person occupancy discount."

Miss Gillard-Loft said bills were paid late between January and March 2010, after her landlord broke his leg and couldn't work.

They received a liability order for £171 plus £39 costs in March, and paid the demand.

"I'm unhappy with how it's been dealt with," she said.

"It could have been much cleaner and I'm quite angry."

Scott Mann, deputy leader of the Conservative group, said it did not inspire financial confidence in the Lib Dems, who wanted to control a billion- pound budget, if they couldn't run their personal finances.

"It's for the public to decide whether it's a big issue," he said. "The taxpayer has to have confidence in the people making decisions at County Hall."

Mrs Powell's husband Tony, a Liskeard town councillor and former leader of Caradon District Council, said he paid their council tax and had no knowledge of any liability order until December 27, 2011, when he was contacted by Cornwall Council's solicitor.

"Through a combination of an inadvertently cancelled direct debit, a botched standing order and my ill-health we missed payments in April and June but the arrears were cleared in May and July by double payments," he said.

"By July 23, 2010, there were no arrears and a new arrangement in place.

"At that time we understood no summons would be issued given our excellent payment record and the circumstances of the missed payments.

"At no time was there any intention to avoid payment or any question of our ability to pay. We have details of our dealing with the council and have made representations to them over what subsequently took place. We have discussed the issue with them and are awaiting a response."

Mr Powell, Liskeard's mayor at the time, said the family had never seen a summons nor a copy of any liability order, only the details of arrangements made for payment on July 23, 2010, two weeks before the summons and more than a month before the order was granted.

"Had we been aware of the proceedings we would have attended court and disputed the facts as presented," he said.

The incident occurred while Mrs Powell was a Conservative. She defected to the Liberal Democrats in June 2011.

Cornwall Council said 17 councillors paid late.

TaxPayers' Alliance campaign manager Robert Oxley said: "Councillors have to set an example and pay their council tax. Those not doing so are adding further costs to already hard-pressed taxpayers."

Councillors facing legal action by their own authority were not credible representatives, he said.

"If politicians are struggling with their payments then maybe it will illustrate to them the problems faced by many others who have seen their council tax bills nearly double in the past decade."

But Mrs Powell and Miss Gillard-Loft received support from their party.

Group leader Jeremy Rowe said it was for them to explain to their electors, but they retained his full support as hardworking local members.